Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan's response to the Catholicos' appeal to protect Armenians, April 28, 1915

In accordance with your oral request of April 27th, asking, on behalf of the Catholicos of the Armenian Church, that this Government should use its good offices with the Turkish Government to prevent the massacre of non-combatant Armenians in Turkish territory, the Department instructed the American Ambassador at Constantinople to bring the matter to the attention of the Turkish Government, urging upon it the use of effective means for the protection of the Armenians from violence at the hands of those of other religions.

The American Ambassador at Constantinople cabled the Department before receiving the Department's telegram, stating that over one hundred Armenians of the better class had been arrested, ostensibly to prevent revolutionary propaganda; and that the lives of these men are probably not in danger, although they are being deported to the interior.

After receiving this message the Department again cabled the Ambassador to urge the Turkish Government to protect the Armenians.